isaacs



(No Model.)

J-.- HEALY' & J. L.. ISA-A08;

V Bqxoonofl. v 7 No. 552,436. Patented 1155.31.1895.

ally called upon to operate the same.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN IIEA'LY AND JOEL L. ISAACS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOX-COUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,436, dated December 31, 1895.

Application filed November 2, 1895. Serial No. 567,736. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN HEALY and JOEL L. ISAAOS, citizens of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box- Couches; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in what is known as box-couches, and has for its object to provide a means for affording a material assistance when it is desired to raise the lid thereof for the purpose of having access to the interior of the box. It is well known to persons using this class of furniture that the weight of the lid, provided, as it is, with springs, upholstery, &c. presents a deadweight to the person lifting the same that taxes the strength of a man in good health, and from this fact offers an almost insuperable obstacle to their use by women and invalids, who under most circumstances are more usu- It is to do away with this almost fatal objection to their use that our invention is directed, and this we accomplish by providing the same with springs of any suitable construction and so arranged that they will exert their tension to afford a material aid to the person lifting the lid, or, if desired, will perform the whole work of raising the lid. This object we accomplish in the manner and by the means hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a boxcouch, showing the lid thereof partly open and one form of spring in position therein and exertin g its tension on the lid. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the lid closed, a portion of one end of the box being broken away to show one of the springs in its compressed position. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a diiferent form of spring and Fig. a is a detail.

In the said drawings, the numeral 1 denotes the box portion of an ordinary box-couch, and 2 the lid thereof hinged to the box portion in any suitable manner, the parts being properly upholstered and the latter provided with the usual springs and tufted or mattress top.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, we have shown in the interior of the box two leafsprings 3 bent into U shape and having their lower ends securely fastened to the bottom of the box 1 by screws 4 or otherwise. These springs are preferably located at each end of the box, and have their ends toward the front of the same, the free upper ends thereof engaging with the under side of the lid 2, as shown. If desired, metallic wear-plates 5 may be attached to the lid where the springs contact therewith. It will thus be seen that when the lid is down said springs will be compressed and in position to exert their tension to raise the lid, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be understood that said springs may either be of sufficient strength to merely aid in lifting the lid, or may be strong enough to lift the lid of themselves, in which latter event we provide a suitable catch 6 on the front edges of the lid and box to retain the lid until it is desired to have the same opened.

In Fig. 3 we have illustrated another form of spring which consists of two coiled springs 7 ,each having one end connected to the back of the box and its other end to the lid, as shown.

From the above it will be readily understood that by employing our improved construction the labor of opening boxes of this character will be reduced to a minimum, or,

if desired, entirely obviated, and the same can be readily manipulated by women or invalids, thereby doing away with the greatest objection to their use as heretofore constructed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is In a box couch, the combination. with the box portion thereof adapted to be used as a receptacle, and the lid suitably hinged thereto, and upholstered to form a couch, of springs adapted to be engaged between said box and lid, and to exert their tension to force the two apart, a catch for connecting the two parts together when in their closed position, and means for releasing the catch from the outside of the box, whereby the springs neutralize'the dead weight of the upholstered lid and aidin lifting the same, substantially as described.

' In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HEALY.

JOEL L. ISAAOS.

Witnesses Louis SOHRAG, F. D. J OHNS. 

